Jealous // Asanoya

Chapter 3

Once the bell rang and his last class for the day was officially over, Nishinoya darted out of the classroom to meet Asahi near the entrance of the gym. Luckily, lunch was unproblematic and Nagasaki didn't show up. 

Today was the only day this week they didn't have practice, but Nishinoya and Asahi met in front of the gym anyways so that they could walk home together.

Because today was the day they didn't have practice, it was also the day that Asahi tutored Noya in math. Nishinoya was thankful that Asahi took time out of his day to help him, but he also loved that he had extra time to spend with Asahi and Asahi alone. He cherished all the moments they had together and was excited to spend one on one time with him.

As Asahi rounded the corner to the gym entrance, Noya bounded over to him, yelling "Asahi-san!"

He jumped up and down, barely being able to contain his excitement to see his most trusted friend.

"I've been waiting alllll dayyyy for this!" Noya said excitedly before smiling at a laughing Asahi.

Asahi smiled warmly at the energetic ball of chaos in front of him. "I have, too" he said shyly. "Let's go to my house today," Asahi said.

"Sounds good to me!" Noya replied.

As they walked to Asahi's house, Noya could feel the occasional brush of Asahi's knuckles against his arm. He knew it wasn't intentional, yet it still sent involuntary shivers through Noya. 

Not that he minded, though.

Nishinoya loved moments like these. He lived for them. On walks like these, they talked about nothing, talked about everything. Whether it was school, volleyball, or something else entirely, Noya didn't care. As long as he could admire the taller boy in peace.

Sometimes it hurt, though. How much he loved the strong ace. It often felt that his love for the boy was so overwhelming to the point where he couldn't breathe. There would be these moments where his emotions would just swell up inside of him and he would only be able to find solace in Asahi. After all, he was the only person that could make his mind calm itself. 

Not only that, but Asahi would be the only one to notice that something was consuming Noya, that something was eating at him from the inside. That was another thing Nishinoya loved about Asahi, that he was able to pick up on the smallest of cues and signals that he would unconsciously emit. The signals that nobody else could read or detect. They were on a different wave length than everyone else and Asahi was able to detect any interruption in said waves. 

Over the years that he's known Asahi, he's also come to realize that he is only able to truly relax around him. Sure, he trusted his other friends, but he's always felt a stronger bond and closer connection to Asahi compared to that of his other teammates. Their spark was immediate, almost tangible, the first time they met. It was like they had known each other in another life time. They just understood each other in a way that no one else could. Asahi was his home, his sanctuary, a place where he could feel completely safe and protected. Sometimes he thought he needed Asahi to function. Needed him to breathe, eat, sleep. That he couldn't do anything without him and wouldn't do anything if it wasn't for him and him alone. 

And when things got bad, just his - and only his - touch, his presence, was enough to calm Noya down. And although neither said anything, there was an unspoken understanding that they both felt much more at ease when with one another. That they needed each other more than anything. 

At first, he had chalked his feelings up to the fact that they were just really close friends with a really strong bond. Friends that could know what the other was thinking with just a glance. Friends who had too many inside jokes to count.Friends who could talk about nothing and everything all at once. Friends who could talk for hours on end until their voices got hoarse. Friends who confided in each other and kept the other's secrets behind locked doors in their minds. Friends who could get the other to say what they were really thinking, their deepest thoughts and desires, with just one look. Friends who could see past the fake fronts put up for others and see the honesty hiding just beneath. Friends who could hold it together until they saw the other, before completely breaking down and coming undone. Friends who found solace in the other's embrace. Friends who trusted each other with everything. Friends who cared about each other more than anyone or anything.